Miriam told rape of sorority recruits rampant in UP Los Baños

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago will move for the abolition of campus fraternities and sororities after receiving information that sorority recruits are often being raped during their initiation rites, radio dzBB reported on Monday. The report quoted the senator as saying that a former professor of the University of the Philippines (UP) in Los Baños, Laguna who is now based in Canada, disclosed to her that female students are often being forced to engage in sex during hazing rites. The same report said Santiago received information from another individual that the rape of female recruits in UP Los Baños is not an isolated case because the crime happens during the yearly initiation rites of sororities and fraternities. DzBB said the senator received reports that the women are often drugged and raped during initiation rites that are conducted with fraternity recruits . The lawmaker also received information that during summer vacation, sorority recruits who got pregnant after they were raped often stay in the campus to hide their condition. Santiago recently filed Senate Resolution No. 112 that called for the investigation into the death of UP student Cris Anthony Mendez. The 20-year-old recruit of UP’s Sigma Rho Fraternity died last August 21 allegedly due to fatal hazing. She said findings from the investigation would be used to strengthen Republic Act No. 8049 or the Anti Hazing Law, which she claimed was useless in preventing hazing deaths. - GMANews.TV